Red zone buyout offers begin

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has started the process of making new buy-out offers to owners of earthquake-damaged red-zoned land.

A house in the red zone. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

The authority has increased the amount it is offering owners of vacant, commercial and uninsured properties, in response to the Supreme Court's recommendation that it revise its offer.

CERA acting chief executive John Ombler said the first step was to ask eligible property owners if they consented to the collection of the necessary information, so their offers could be formulated. Those letters will be posted tonight.

Property owners have until December to decide whether to accept the offer.